Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2004. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date. My ex-fiance died of AIDS on September 8, 2004. He had been hospitalized with PC pneumonia in April 2003. We had been having unprotected sex since January 2003. I didn't know that he was HIV positive (he told me that he suffered from a Gulf War illness from serving in the military) until right before he died. Our last sexual encounter was in early August - a month before his death. I had donated blood in April of 2004 and I know that the blood is tested for HIV. Upon my fiance's death, I tested twice (once to get an insurance policy and once with my doctor) in mid-September. All tests came back negative. My concern is that since mid-October, I've been breaking out with hives (welts) that are sometimes so severe that I've began taking antihistamines (loratidine) to diminish the outbreaks. Are hives symptoms for those patients exposed to HIV? Should I get tested again? If so, when? Is it possible that I could have escaped this disease even though I've had unprotected sex with this man for more than 1 1/2 years?
Yes it is possible that you did not pick up HIV after 18 months of unprotected sex.
I noted that your last sexual contact was in August, and you were last tested in September. I would recommend another HIV test. The standard screening test looks for antibodies to HIV, but there is a lag time between picking up HIV and producing detectable antibodies. Fifty percent of patients will have detectable antibodies 2 weeks after exposure, but some can take up to 6 months before antibodies can be detected.
That being said, I do not feel the hives are indicative that you are HIV positive. It could very possibly be anxiety, which is often seen as a cause for unexplained recurrent hives.
AEGiS is a 501(c)3, not-for-profit, tax-exempt, educational corporation. AEGiS is made possible through unrestricted grants from Boehringer Ingelheim, Elton John AIDS Foundation, John M. Lloyd Foundation, Roche and Trimeris, the National Library of Medicine, Bridgestone/Firestone Charitable Trust, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, and donations from users like you. Always watch for outdated information. This article first appeared in 2004. This material is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between you and your doctor.
AEGiS presents published material, reprinted with permission and neither endorses nor opposes any material. All information contained on this website, including information relating to health conditions, products, and treatments, is for informational purposes only. It is often presented in summary or aggregate form. It is not meant to be a substitute for the advice provided by your own physician or other medical professionals. Always discuss treatment options with a doctor who specializes in treating HIV.
Copyright ©1980, 2004. AEGiS. All materials appearing on AEGiS are protected by copyright as a collective work or compilation under U.S. copyright and other laws and are the property of AEGiS, or the party credited as the provider of the content.